Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that.

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The Carter Center at the center of controversies

February 28, 2005

Well, it used to be that the CarterCenter would arrive in Venezuela and everyone would try to meet with them. It wasn’t that way this time as reported by Daniel in his blog. But it seems to have been worse than that. As reported by Descifrado today, the visit by Ms. McCoy did not go very well, she was shunned by many actors, including opposition parties (except Primero Justicia), Chavez own party MVR. But even worse, according to Descifrado, there was supposed to be a breakfast on Friday between the CarterCenter and representatives of the media. Unfortunately for the CC Directors, only one Board member form one TV channels showed up at the meeting. Thus, the supervision of Venezuelan elections and attempts by the CarterCenter to mediate in the Venezuelan crisis, end with a whimper, rather than with the bang they expected.

Meanwhile, another scandal was banging at the Carter family elsewhere, as wife Rosalynn is now being linked by the N.Y Post to the oil for food program and donations to Iraq, via her Foundation Friendship Force. I guess that is the problem with all these activities, you need money to run them and in searching for funding you are either careless or compromise your principles in order to get them.